This invention generally relates to pivot mechanisms and more specifically relates to electrically activated pivot mechanisms in which two arms are simultaneously pivoted between a position in which the arms are parallel and a position in which the arms rotate in opposing angular directions to extend away from each other.
Various types of mechanical pivots and hinges have been utilized for different applications. Pivotally mounted levers have been used to transfer mechanical movement to other objects. Solenoids driven by electrical current cause an associated arm to move from one position to another and can be used to apply force to other objects. While such electrically initiated mechanical motion is suited for many applications, other applications have requirements for which it is not well suited, and in some applications, it is completely unusable in view of requirements and/or constraints of the application.